Hi! I’m so glad to see that this forum is still incredible, helping so many knitters. After a hiatus I’m tackling a new skill and am frustrated.
I’m doing this pattern:
and I’m trying to tackle short rows. I know in theory what they do and how they work but I’m really struggling even after watching videos. I think this is because this pattern uses a kfbf stitch that no videos have. It ends up looking like a terrible gross knot.
This was as far as I got. It was awful and I had to rip everything out and start back from the cast on.
Is there a video out there you know of that shows this specific sequence of stitches? And because I am new, should I thread in a lifeline before I start? It’s rough to pick these stitches out.
BTW: I’m knitting this with Madeline Tosh tosh merino light that I found at the goodwill for $5 for 5 hanks!!!
Good to see you back! Always good to try something new however strange and difficult it may seem at first (or even second).
Here’s a video for kfbf:
And here’s a pfbf (without the “m”) which comes up in row 2:
Is pfbfm defined in your pattern?
A lifeline is always a good idea. Never hurts to have several even if you end up not needing them. You might also try these increases out on a swatch until you feel comfortable with them. What kind of short rows are you using?
Wow, did you ever hit a bargain at the Goodwill shop. Lovely yarn.
The pattern says “pfbf” not “pfbfm”. I’ll have to look up the difference. Does it matter? I know there are MANY ways to do short rows, which is making it so much more confusing. Thank you!!! I’ll watch these both and I think you’re right, a swatch is a better idea.
Don’t worry about it. It was only a typo in your first post had an m on the pfbf.
Go ahead with the video method salmonmac posted for both the kfbf and pfbf.
I don’t know if you ever find this but sometimes i find a stitch harder in one yarn than in another. If you have some scrap yarn in something you’ve worked before, that might be easier to practise the new increase with, an easier yarn, and then move onto your nice yarn when you’ve had a bit of practise. Well, it’s what i seem to need to do at times, also it saves your nice yarn from becoming overworked.
Aha, easy explanation for the m.
That swatch is handy for many things including trying out a couple of short row methods. Maybe try German short rows which are pretty straightforward and another, like shadow wraps just to see what they are like.
It’s a matter of personal preference in the end.
It’s an pretty stitch pattern and very striking. Have fun with the knitting!
I’m afraid I’m not an intellectual enough knitter to swap one method for another. I’m a blind follower of the pattern…So I’ll goof with a swatch and come back for more help if necessary. THANK YOU!
Um……I don’t know what type these are. Haha. There’s none of the wrapping I’ve heard about. Let me look. I’m at my daughter’s craft show today as back up so I’m going to tackle this on some extra yarn.
Well, I forgot the page with the definitions. I’ll have to find it on my phone but it’s mostly just that kfbf and there’s an “mds” I need to look up as well as a “pds”
Haha.
I’m a hot mess. I need a summer break from my summer break.
Good of you to act as back up for your daughter.
It sounds like you pattern is calling for German short rows. In that case you work a double stitch at the turn and mds would mean make double stitch. Pds might be purl double stitch. Best to see how your pattern defines these abbreviations however.
Here’s a video for German short rows which avoid working wraps and all that involves.
I agree with the others that these are German short rows. Don’t worry about the kfbf instructions - they’re not going to be involved in the short row. After this instruction, you are knitting or purling one before you turn the work. After you turn the work, to md ( make double stitch,) you slip the first stitch (this was the knit or the purl). You slip this purlwise with the yarn in front, on both the right and wrong side of the work. ( This threw me a bit when I first did short rows! ) You then pull the yarn up and over the needle and work the next stitch with the yarn tensioned firmly. One side can look a bit odd ( twisted) bit just go with it! If the next stitch is a knit, your yarn is already in the right place. If it’s a purl, you bring the yarn over ( for the short row) and then forward again to work the purl.
When you resolve the double stitch ( really this is the two legs of the stitch below) you work them together as one stitch. When you’re back to working in the round, it looks neater to resolve the final double stitch slightly differently .
I’ll link a video on how to do this - I think it’s worth it !
I was doing great until I got to a p1b that was a former kfbf and I couldn’t find where to put the needle and the whole stitch unraveled. How do you do that? Everything else makes sense. This has happened twice and I haven’t gotten past this point.
I can’t upload a photo. I’ll try again in another reply.
I’ll have to find it on my phone but it’s mostly just that kfbf and there’s an “mds” I need to look up as well as a “pds”